PILAR, Abra, (PIA) – The Philippine Army recognized the immediate reporting of local residents in Barangay Nagcanasan, Pilar of the presence of the Communist-Terrorist Group (CTG) in their area.

This resulted to the recent encounter between the 50th Infantry Battalion and members of the CTG along the border of Barangay Nagcanasan and Sitio Paring, Barangay Babalasioan, Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur on Tuesday, April 02.

501st Infantry Brigade Civil Military Operations Officer Maj. Bryan Albano, in an interview, explained that informants from Nagcanasan and Babalasioan reported sightings of armed men, which caused the Philippine Army to conduct combat operations in the area on April 2, 2024.
 
“May mga informant tayo from Nagcanasan, Pilar and Sitio Paring, Barangay Babalasioan, Sta Maria, Ilocos Sur na namataan nila itong mga armadong grupo. Dahil sa mga solusyon ng NTF-ELCAC, hindi na naniniwala ang mga tao sa agitation at propaganda ng mga armadong grupo na ito, kaya minarapat nilang isumbong dito sa 501st brigade at agaran naman tayong nagsagawa ng combat operations,” he said.

Albano also shared that government troops are continuously conducting clearing operations following the encounter to check for casualties.

“So far po, wala nang on-going encounter doon pero patuloy parin po ang pag-secure ng ating kasundaluhan doon, ang 501st brigade, patuloy ang search operations nila sa Nagcanasan, Pilar kung may natirang mga nasugatan o mga nasawi,” he said.
 
At least 25 families with more than 100 individuals and counting are immediately evacuated near the Municipal Hall of Pilar where they are temporary housed and provided with relief assistance.
 
“As of the moment, we have currently 25 families na nag-evacuate from Nagcanasan, Pilar. Ang priority ng ating kasundaluhan ay ang safety ng ating mga residente and for the meantime, di pa natin masasabi na ligtas nang bumalik sa Nagcanasan,” Albano explained.

“Ang maissisiguro lang po naming, the Philippine Army is doing their best para maitaboy ang mga grupong ito para magpatuloy ang payapang pamumuhay ng mga residente sa apektadong barangay” he added.
 
The 501st Infantry Brigade through the leadership of BGen. Ferdinand Melchor De La Cruz is calling all armed terrorist groups to surrender peacefully and enjoy the acceptance and assistance of the government and local communities. The Philippine Army, however, will not cease to neutralize these CTGs if they continue to rise against the government.
 
Prior to the encounter, the 501st Infantry Brigade, in a press release, reported that troops have been discovering NPA hideouts around the area through information from residents.

Barangay Nagcanasan was identified as a beneficiary barangay under the Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in 2022. 

In March 2023, a P4-million worth barangay health station funded under the SBDP was inaugurated and turned-over to Nagcanasan. (CAGT - PIA CAR, Abra)